stand by

British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to be available and ready to act if needed or called upon

2. (intr, adverb) to be present as an onlooker or without taking any action

   he stood by at the accident

3. (intr, preposition) to be faithful to

   to stand by one's principles

4. (tr, adverb) English law (of the Crown) to challenge (a juror) without needing to show cause

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noun

1. 1. a person or thing that is ready for use or can be relied on in an emergency

   2. ( as modifier )

      stand-by provisions

2. in a state of readiness for action or use

adjective

1. (of an airline passenger, fare, or seat) not booked in advance but awaiting or subject to availability

stand by Idioms  

1. Be ready or available to act, as in I'm almost ready for you to carve the turkey, so please stand by . [Mid-1200s]

2. Wait for something to resume, as in We are all standing by until the power is restored . Also see on standby .

3. Be present but remain uninvolved, refrain from acting, as in I can't stand by and see these kids shoplifting . [Late 1300s]

4. Remain loyal, as in She's my friend and I'll stand by her, no matter what . [Early 1500s] Also see stick by .

5. Adhere to, abide by, as in I'm going to stand by what I said yesterday . [Late 1300s]

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Example Sentences

But it’s one the actor stands by, she told “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday, adding that she “didn’t think I could live with myself walking on set.”

From Los Angeles Times

I stood by the bed while Red’s mother looked Gran over.

From Literature

The city apologized for incorrectly saying a permit was needed but it stood by the shutdown.

From Los Angeles Times

"I have been in constant touch with my counterparts, and they both reassured me they stand by the deal with the European Union," Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told EU lawmakers.

From Barron's

"These deals are going to be good deals. We expect to stand by them. We expect our partners to stand by them."

From BBC

Related Words

• back
• benefit
• bolster
• boost
• cooperate
• encourage
• further
• maintain
• promote
• push
• save
• serve
• stimulate
• support